The present invention relates generally to peripheral devices and, in a more specific example, the coupling of peripheral devices.
To connect a peripheral to a computer device, such as when connecting an external hard drive to a DVR or Home Gateway Device, the user must be acutely aware of the orientation of the connector—particularly whether it is right-side up or upside down—and often has to pull out the device, reach around the back, and then plug in the peripheral using data and/or power cables. Because various connectors differ in their orientation and how loose or tight they are, this can be frustrating and may damage or weaken the connectors. Additionally, the clutter created by using cables may be unattractive.
Existing systems for connecting peripheral and computer devices usually involve cabling or using a connector by itself to secure the pairing. There are other fastening mechanisms such as rugged connectors to more tightly secure or waterproof, but they are neither self-guiding nor aesthetic and usually expose threads or clutches. Even among highly proprietary and nonstandard connectors, the issues of guided orientation and aesthetics are left unaddressed.